Arizona weekly citizen., 1887-08-20

camp early m the morning to hunt up some horses that had strsyed during | the night, with orders to drive them on to water as soon as he found them, as there was DO water where we were ! camped, and after Johnson had been gone from camp about one hour, l. | Frank Wilson. became engaged m a quarrel with Samuel Clevenger and his wife, Charlotte Clevenger. and killed them both in the same spot where their bodies were found, and then took the wagon and the rest of the stock and overlook Johnson on the road with the rest of the horses, and I told Johnson that Clevenger and his wife had gone to Utah by another road with some friends that caught up with us that morning. as there was a road that turned of that went into Utah, he believed ne until we got 10 TOkeville, where I traded oil some of the horseF, and then Johnson asded me what Clevenger would say If he knew 1 was trading of his horses. told Johnson that l had killed them, and he had better keep stIll about it, for I would say that he help to kill them both, and l made Johnson take some of the horses and some money, SO he would not say anything about it. I am ready to meet my fate, buE do not want to see sn innocent man hang for my crime. Signed
 FRANK WILSON"
 HISTORY OF THE CRIME.
 Although the particulars of this shocking aud unnatural crime have been repeated, first, in brief. when the discovery of the remains of Samuel and Charlotte Cievenger was made Tn their lonely grave on the Buckskln mountains; again. more in detail, when the trio who travelled with them. and who alone fully knew the manner of their death, were arrested, and still again on the trial Of Wilson and Johnson, it will not be out of place at this time, as the curtain IS rung down on the last act of the tragedy, to review 1t again.
 The Clevengers had been residents of the southern part of the territory, near Fort Thomas, and selling out their home there embarked with their money and stock for Washington Territory, m February, 1886. They were sccompan- panied by their adopted daughter, Jessie Clevenger. and by Wilson and Johnson. On the night of the l9.h of May tuey had reached a point near the Utah line, ID this county, and camped for the night, On the morning of the 20th of May, be- tween day light and sunrise, according to Jessle Clevsnger's testimony. the murder WAS committed The bodies were robbed of all money and vRluables, and then buried in shsllow grave. when the guilty parties, with the stock and effects belonging to the old couple. continued their journey. It was not until October that the evidence Ofihe murder was dis covered, although s man named Barney, Vho had previously csmped with the party, met Wilson, Johnson and the girl | on the same morning of the murder and l within eight miles of the scene off To l ward of suspicion of anything wrong, | Johnson told this man that Cievenger | had gone out hunting, and if he saw him to tell him to hurry up, Bs 1t was late and they were compelled to travel | on. On the same evening they
 DIVIDED THE MONEY,
 And several days later they divided the | stock and separated. Wilson snd the girl | who in the mesntime had assumed the | relation of man and wife, going into | Idsho, while Johnson remained in Utah. |
 In October the bodies of the murder cd couple were discovered by sccideut, the coyotes hgving exposed portion of one of them The officers were notified | and search for the murderers was con- menced, being rewarded by Sheriff Mul- venom arrcsting them in January, Wilson being arrested while seated playing cards in & saloon in Oakley, Idaho.
 They were returned to Prescott aud | indicted at the April term of court. bu. on filing sffidavits of the impOssibility | of securing material witnesses. the trial was postponed until the June term, when they were tried, found guilty with the death penalty attached, and senten- ced by Judge Wright to be hanged on | ErraN An. kL L | |